Oracle Map of Austin
2019
Asterisk*
Asterisk, an Austin-based agency, presented me with one of the most ambitious projects I’ve taken on yet. Their client, Oracle, a multinational computer technology company, recently opened the doors to their East Austin campus and enlisted Asterisk to create numerous installations in their corporate office.
While Asterisk tackled many of these projects in-house, they reached out to local artists, including myself, to handle some of the more bespoke stylistic approaches. My challenge was to illustrate a stylized rendering of the city of Austin in an isometric perspective. But it wasn’t just about one map of the entire city; they also desired a zoomed-in map of East Austin, focusing around the Oracle campus.
These maps were then printed on two cork boards, providing their employees with a tactile, interactive experience to pin things directly onto the map. Each map stands at an impressive 4.5 feet by 5 feet. Drawing inspiration from the Where’s Waldo books I cherished as a boy and continue to enjoy as a father, I decided to infuse the maps with fun Easter Eggs. I even managed to sneak in a playful nod to the infamous moment of a bare-chested Matthew McConaughey playing bongos in his backyard—an actual event that unfolded in Austin. A big shoutout to the incredible Pam Caperton for her ultimate flexibility and the freedom to craft something rich in detail and style.
